According to new research by Hamptons International, in 2016, Londoners bought more than 77,500 homes outside of the Capital, 22 per cent more than the 63,500 bought in 2015, with many moving further afield to get more for their money. Previously renting in Crystal Palace, first time buyers Esteban Cordero (45) and his wife Mathilde (38), together with daughter Karla Sofia (4) and newborn son Kalle Emilio, chose to make the move towards Medway to make their money go further and afford a larger house. They welcomed in the New Year not only with a new addition to the family, but their first family home at Countryside’s development Horsted Park in Chatham, Kent.
Originally from Costa Rica, Esteban, a mechanical engineer, explains: “My wife and I were renting a two bedroom flat in Crystal Palace whilst saving to buy a property of our own. We decided to start looking to move because the rental prices in South London were almost doubling and we needed more space for our growing family. We knew it would be hard to remain in London, because of the increasing property prices, so we decided to look further out of the capital. The Rochester and Chatham area seemed like a good idea as it was so close to Mathilde’s sister who lives in Gillingham, Kent. Our son Kalle Emilio was born in early January and we moved into Horsted Park at the end of January, so it was a busy but exciting time for us.”
Mathilde who runs her own Personal Training and Massage Therapy business adds: “We looked at other new-build properties but there was always something not quite right. When I looked at Horsted Park online, I immediately wanted to visit and went on my own the next day to look around. Even though Esteban wasn’t with me I knew he would love it as much as I did. We used the Help to Buy scheme, which allowed us to buy a bigger family home without having to move again, saving us on future stamp duty and moving costs. It was the right thing to do and I would definitely recommend Help to Buy to others as it was such a great help. It’s so lovely to have our own space and own home, compared to renting.”
Surrounded by the Kent countryside and with excellent travel connections, Horsted Park has been thoughtfully designed to accommodate busy, modern day life, by providing new community facilities and large open spaces for residents to enjoy. The village style development offers a selection of homes complete with high quality specification and spacious layouts. Stylish kitchens include fitted wall and base units with integrated appliances and bathrooms have sleek white sanitaryware with chrome accessories. Homes also come complete with Amtico Spacia flooring and carpets throughout, ready for purchasers to move straight in.
Mathilde continues: “When we were looking for our home we really thought about the space we wanted our children to grow up in. The downstairs is really beautiful, we have a large open-plan living space and kitchen which is very contemporary and the garden is a great size for the children. Walking around the development, I’ve met lots of other families whose children really enjoy using the playground on-site. The development has plenty of open green spaces and it’s lovely to be surrounded by countryside. We are used to walking everywhere in Crystal Palace, so it’s great that our daughter’s nursery is only a fifteen walk away. There are also great schools, all within walking distance.”
Mathilde concludes: “The sales team at Countryside were extremely helpful and made the whole process simple and easy. Since buying, they have kept checking on us to make sure we are happy and comfortable. At the moment we are simply enjoying family time together in our beautiful new home.”
Horsted Park benefits from all of the amenities that both Chatham and the nearby city of Rochester have to offer. Chatham is well served with shopping and leisure attractions, while the ancient cathedral city of Rochester boasts culture and heritage. Perfect for commuters, Chatham station is less than two miles from Horsted Park offering direct rail services operate into central London in as little as 37 minutes and serve a range of mainline stations including St Pancras International, Victoria and Cannon Street. By road, the M2 is less than a mile away giving rapid access to the M20, M26 and M25.
Prices for a one bedroom apartment start from £190,000 and three bedroom houses start from £357,500. All properties are available with Help to Buy. For further information, please visit www.countryside-properties.com, email [email protected] or call 01634 406491.